Hat-pouncing apparatus



(No Model.)

' I. GILL;

Hat Pouncing Apparatus.

No. 243,067. Patented June 21,188L

. N, FETERs mum mphr. via-mum D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA GILL, OF WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

HAT-POUNCING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,067, dated June 21, 1881.

Application filed May 14,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA GILL, of Walpole, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Ponncin g Hats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for pouncin g hats; and theinvention consists, primarily, in a moving stone-carrier provided with means for holding a pouncing-stone and causing it to rotate upon the hat-body, in connection with a suitable support for the hat-body, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The accompanying drawing represents, in perspective, a simple form of a machine embodying my invention, sufficient to illustrate its principle and mode of operation.

This invention is designed for use more especially in that class of felt hats which are made of fur. Formerly, when the manufacture of these hat-s was conducted mainly or solely by hand, it was customary to perform the operation of pouncing by means of a pouncing-stonehcld in the hand of the workman, who rubbed the stone around upon the hatbody laid upon a bench or table, and in that way, by a long and tedious process, the surface of the hat-body was brought to the required condition. In order to expedite and cheapen this operation of pouncing hats a variety of machines have been invented and used latterly, nearly if not all of which make use of cylinders, rolls, or belts covered with sand or emery paper, or having an analogous rough surface, which is made to move rapidly in contact with the surface of the hat after the same has been colored and shaped. This plan of pouncin g hats is objectionable, for several reasons. In the first place, instead of compactin g the felt and rendering it more firm, the tendency is to render it more-loose and spongy. In the second place, as it is difficult to apply it with perfect uniformity to all parts of the surface, the result is that it imparts to the'hat a cloudy appearance, owing to the fact that the coloring is not as dense or as deep in color within the mass composing the body as it is upon the surface, and by grinding away the surface more at one point than at another the color is left of a lighter or different shade where the most cutting or grinding away of the surface takes place, thereby imparting to the surface of the hat, when done, a cloudy or irregular appearance or color. The object of my present invention is to obviate these objections and still retain the advantages of performing the operation by machinery, and to do it by the use of the pounoing-stone before the hat is colored or shaped. This may be accomplished in a great variety of ways, so far as the construction of the operating devices is concerned, the essential feature being a stone holder or carrier so constructed and arranged as to impart to the pouncing-stone a rotary motion and enable it to be applied to the surface of the hat-body.

One of the simplest forms of a machine embodying my invention is that illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which A indicates a bench or table, on which is supported the hat-body 0. Over this is arranged a vertical shaft, B, provided at its lower end with a clutch 0r clamp, O, for holding the pouncing-stone' '1, this shaft being mounted in suitable bearings, D, in which it is arranged to slide vertically a short distance, it being rotated by a cord, (1, from a counter-shaft, or by any other means, as may be most convenient. A spring, E, is applied to the shaft 13, as shown, or in any suitable manner, so as to raise the stone T from contact with the hat-body 0 when released, there being also a lever, F, engaging with the shaft B, and connected by a rod or cord, G, to a treadle, H, so located that it can be readily operated by the footof the workman, as shown in the drawing.

' lfdesired, a catch, 0, may be arranged to lock the treadle down, as represented, thereby holding the stone T in contact with the hat-body until released.

A pipe, I, provided with a cock, a, is arranged so as to deliver a spray or thin sheet of water upon the body 0, the object of which is not only to keep the body wet, so as to cause it to be still more felted and compacted by the pouncin g operation, but at the same time wash away the particles detached from the surface of the body by the grinding operation of the stone, this latter being important, for the reason that if any small lumps or particles are allowed to remain upon the surface of the body 0 they will be worked or pressed into it by the stone. If, on the other hand, such lumps or particles get between the body 0 and the table, they will elevate the surface of the body at that point, thereby causing such elevated portions to be ground away by the stone, thus producing holes or thin spots in the felt or body.

In using the apparatus thus constructed the hat-body O is laid upon the table A, the water turnedon by means of the cook a, and the shaft B set in motion and depressed so as to bring the stone S down upon the body 0, which lat ter is moved about by the-hands of the operator, so as to bring all parts of its surface under the rotating stoiie vhich thus grinds away and polishes its exterior surface to any extent desired, the body 0 being turned over and refolded from time to time, so as to insure a complete operation of the stone over its entire surface.

One great advantage of this method of pou ncing the body is, that it is being all the time more thoroughly felted and compacted, besides imparting to it a more smooth and finished surface than is usually produced by the dry process and the use of sand-paper or similar abrading substances.

WVhile I have thus represented and described one of the simplest forms of my invention, it is obvious that it may be varied or modified in numerous ways and still be the same in effect. For instance, instead of having the table stationary .and arranging the shaft to be raised and lowered, the latter may be held stationary vertically, and the table may be arranged so as to be raised and lowered to bring the hatbody in contact with the stone.

vided with a loose sleeve at the point where the hand is to be applied, just above theclamp, after the style of those used on the flexible shafts of power dental drills.

It is further obvious that the table or support, instead of being arrangedv horizontally, may be inclined at any angle desired, so that the water and debris will more readily flow oft, preferably on the side farthest from the operator, where a trough may be arranged to catch and convey it away, the shaft in such case being inclined or changed to correspond.

Another obvious modification of the apparatus would be to substitute for the shaft B a simple head-piece having handles by which to hold and guide it, with the stone-clutch journaled therein, with a grooved pulley on the clutch below the head-piece, or on the journal of the stone-clamp, either within or above the head-piece, around which a cord should pass, said cord passing over one or more pulleys mounted in sliding or yielding bearings, with a spring or weight so applied as to keep the driving-cord taut, and thereby So, too, the table in either case may be provided with a is obvious that a reciprocating instead of a rotary movement may be given to the stonecarrier and be made to operate the same. It is also obvious that the apparatus may be used to give a more complete finish to haltbodics after they have been blocked, or after they have been pounced on other machines, if desired.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that my invention is not limited to the specilic form of device shown in the drawing, that being intended merely to illustrate the invention in one of its simplest forms, the essential feature of the invention being a moving stone-carrier of whatever form or style, and a suitable support for the hat-body while being operated upon by the stone.

lVhile I have shown a pipe for delivering water to the hat-body, it is obvious that any other means may be used for that purpose without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Instead of the simple clamp 0 shown in the drawing, I propose to use a universal chuck for holding the stone T, and the chuck or clamp, whatever its style or form, may be connected rigidly to the shaft; or it maybe so swiveled or jointed thereto as to permit the stone to so move as to rest flat upon the body 0 at all times.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A rotating or moving stone-carrier provided with a clamp or means for holding a pouncing-stone, in combination with a table or suitable support for the hat-body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a rotary shaft or stone-carrier provided with means for holding a pouncing-stone, and a table or support for the hatbody, the pipe I, or equivalent means for delivering water thereto, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the rotary shaft 13, arranged to slide in its bearings, and pro- ICC vided with a clamp for holding the stone T, a

spring arranged to raise the stone from the hat-body O, and a treadle arranged to press the stone upon the body, substantially as set forth.

IRA GILL. Witnesses:

GEO. H. GILL, SAMUEL O. PIERsoN. 

